Label applying machine



July 1, 1941- e. w. VON HOFE LABEL APPLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 |NVENT GEORGE l V. o/v or:

July 1, 1941- G. W. VON HOFE LABEL APPLYING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1938 0 m 6 0 2 MM 0 J J u? a o J l\\ V al 4] 3 w 2 W I HUN 3 3a a M M 0 z 0 wm no a j w 5 W 3 o0 4 M Z i g a v :3: 3 3 a 7 yr 0 5 5 a 5 3 R m 3 Y M A Mm? R Patented July 1, 1941 LABEL APPLYING MACHINE George W. von Hofe,

Bound Brook, N. J., assignor to New Jersey Machine Corporation,

Hoboken,

N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application August 2, 1938, Serial No. 222,605

22 Claims.

The invention relates to label applying machines and has for its object to provide a novel and simple machine for applying labels having coatings which become adhesive in the presence of heat. The invention contemplates primarily the provision of a novel machine whereby labels having thermo-plasti'c coatings may be efficiently applied to the articles for which said labels are intended. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate examples of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the novel machine in one form with parts in section; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a label hopper and associated parts included in the machine; Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section of another form of the novel machine; Fig. 4 is a detail section of one form of label pick-up device; Fig. 5 is a similar view of another form of pick-up device, and Fig. 6 is a detail section of a label and its coating on an enlarged scale.

For the purpose of simplification, the term label is used throughout the description, it being understood that this term is intended to include any equivalent elements such as for instance decal'comanias and the like, and said term accordingly is to be so construed.

The novel labeling machine, in the form illustrated in Fig. 1, consists of a frame ID of suitable type and dimensions on which an upright hopper II is supported in any suitable manner at what may be termed the pick-up station of the machine. The hopper H is designed to contain a supply of labels l2 arranged therein in the form of an upright stack resting upon the bottom l3 of said hopper II as shown in Fig. 1; conventional elevating means I4 is included in the ma-,

chine for raising the bottom at periodic intervals to thereby restore the top of the stack of labels l2 to a predetermined height or in other Words to maintain the top of said stack of labels l2 at a substantially constant feeding level.

The instant machine is designed primarily to operate with labels [2 which, previous to their insertion into the hopper ll, havebeen coated with adhesive on one face, and more particularly with labels l2 having a thermo-plastic coating a which becomes adhesive in. the presence of heat; the labels l2 generally are stacked in the hopper II with the coated surfaces, and more especially the thermo-plastic coatings a, facing downward in the stack.

The previously mentioned elevating means l4 may be automatically controlled in any wellknown way to periodically raise the bottom l3 of the hopper II to thereby restore the top of the stack of labels l2 to a predetermined feeding level. In the illustrated example, the automatic control is exemplified by a feeler l5 vertically slidable in an upright guide l6 and connected by means of a link H with a bell crank lever I8 pivoted at I9 upon the frame ill of the.

machine; the lever I 8 carries a roller 20 arranged to be acted upon by a cam 2| to vertically reciprocate the feeler IS in operative synchronism with the means whereby individual labels [2 are successively removed'from the upper end of the stack at the aforesaid pick-up station as will be more fully set forth hereinafter. The cam 2| is fixed upon a rock-shaft 22 suitably journalled on the frame I0 and operated in predeterminedoperative timing with the associated elements of the machine by any conventional mechanism, exemplified by the rack 22 in mesh with a segment 22 fixed on the shaft 22.

For the reason to be more fully pointed out hereinafter, the machine includes a blowing means which is designed to develop definite air separation between successive terminal and adjacent labels I2 at the upper end of the stack in the hopper II to thereby insulate said labels I2 from each other during the operation of removing successive terminal labels l2 from said stack. In the illustrated example the hopper II is accordingly provided at least at one side near its upper end with a plurality of air vents 23 directed toward the interior of the hopper H and communicating externally thereof with an air nozzle 24 suitably fixed in place as shown for instance in Fig. 1; the nozzle 24 may be connected by means of a tube 25 with a source of air under pressure controlled in a manner to effect the desired results. In addition, provision is preferably made to prevent the air separated labels l2 at the top of the stack from being blown out of the hopper II by the action of the developed air separation, without interference with the removal of successive terminal labels l2 from the upper end of said stack. As shown in Fig. 2 the hopper H may accordingly be provided with retaining pins 26 and 21 projecting inwardly over the upper end of the stack of labels l2; in the preferred arrangement the pins 21 may be adjustable laterally of the hopper l I and may comprise parts of screws 28 adjustably mounted on said hopper H and held against unintentional movement by means of springs 29.

The articles A to which the labels I2 are to be applied may be supported in label receiving position at a label applying station in the machine, in any convenient way, as by means of a support 38 carried by an upright standard 3| as shown-in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the novel machine under discussion, successive terminal labels l2 are removed by transferring means in individual succession from the top of the stack in the hopper II and are coincidentally heated to render the coating or its equivalent adhesive; subsequent to the removal from the stack and while the application of heat thereto is continued, each label l2 isconveyed to the applying station and applied by said transferring means to the article A located at said station at the time. The transferring means in the form shown in the illustrated example consists of a carriage 32 slidably mounted on'a. horizontal guide rail 33 conveniently supported on the frame IU of the machine, suitable stops 34 and 35 preferably being provided to arrest the reciprocation of said carriage 32 in opposite directions. The means whereby the carriage 32 is actuated lengthwise of the rail 33 is exemplified by an arm 35 fixed upon the rock-shaft 22 and having its free end pivotally connected with a coupling rod 31 which in turn may be yieldingly and pivotally connected at 38 with a lug 39 forming part of or fixed upon the carriage 32 as illustrated in Fig. 1. i

The transferring means further includes a pick-up device for removing terminal labels l2 from the top of the stack in the hopper II in individual succession. In the illustrated example, the pick-up device is of the preferred suction operated type and comprises a head 40 connected with a convenient source of suction'for instance by means of a flexible tube 4| constructed and arranged to permit the various operative steps to be performed without interference; suitable provision is made in any well-known way to control the suction developed in the head 48 in properly timed synchronism with the steps of picking up,'transferring and applying the labels in .an operative cycle of the machine. The head 48 is associated with a heating unit 42 of any suitable character and preferably of conventional electrical type located in an electrical circuit exemplified by the wires 43.

The illustrated pick-up device further consists of a pick-up plate 44 which preferably is removably carried by the head 40 for instance as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. In the form shown in Fig. 4 the plate 44 includes a depending section 45 provided upon its lower surface with a resilient pad 46 consisting of porous, heat conducting material fixed in place in any convenient manner; the material of which the pad 48 is constructed may for instance comprise a mass of the section 45 and plate 44 into communication with the interior of the suction head 40'.

Instead of being constructed as shown in'Fig. 4, a pick-up device of the type illustrated in Fig. 5 may be substituted, which device includes a pick-up plate 44 and a depending section 45 the lower portion of which constitutes a flexible pad 48 of non-porous material such as heat resistant rubber. The pad 46 is provided with apertures 41 extending through the same and terminating at the active surface of said pad 415' as shown; the apertures 41 are located in communicating registry with corresponding apertures 4'! extending through the section 45 and plate 44 into communication with the interior of the suction head 40 on which said plate 44' may be removably mounted in the same way as shown in Fig. 4. h

In either case the pick-up device, as shown in the drawings, may be carried by a member 48 which is mounted on the carriage 32 so as to be vertically slidable thereon. Any conventional mechanism may be provided for reciprocating the member 48 on-the carriage 32 at the proper stages in the operative cycle of the machine. For instance, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the member 48 may carry a roller 49adapted to travel along a horizontally extending track 50 arranged to be raised and lowered in any well-known way to reciprocate the member 48 and its associated elements relatively to the carriage 32 as will appear more fully hereinafter. A spring 5| may be attached at one end to the rail 33 and at its other end to a lug 52 ion the member 48 for the purpose of, assisting thedownward movements of the latter and its associated elements; this spring 5| in some instances may be omitted and gravity alone relied upon to move said member 48 downwardly as the track 50 is lowered.

In describing the operation of the novel machine in the form so far described it will be assumed that in Fig. 1 the pick-up device exemplified by the suction head 40 is about to start a return movement to the pick-up station at which the stack of labels I2 is located.

The rock-shaft 22 is operated in 'one direction in a manner to'swing the arm 36 to the right in Fig. 1 to develop a pull upon the coupling rod 31 whereby the carriage 32, is propelled along the rail 33 in the same direction until the stop 35 is engaged by said carriage 32. suction head '40 or equivalent pick-up device is located at the pick-up station in vertical registry with the stack of labels l2 thereat. In the meantime the cam 2| by acting upon the bellcrank lever 18 has raised the feeler l5 to an inoperative position in which it does not interfere with the operation of the suction head 40 in the intended manner.

At the proper point in the operative cycle of the machine, the track 50 is lowered to correspondingly lower the member 48 on the carriage 32 and to thereby bring the active face of the application of the labels I2 thereto; the maare embedded in the pad 46 and terminate at the active surface thereof and extend through the suction head 48 above and in registry with the hopper H in spaced relation to and within suction range of the upper end of the stack of labels I2 for instance as shown in Fig. 2. During at least this phase in the operation of the novel machine, and in some instances during a complete operative cycle thereof, air pressure is effective in the air nozzle 24 to develop jets of air through the air vents 23 directed inwardly into the hopper II and transversely across the same to develop confined air cushions therein on which the upper terminal label l2 in the supply stack At this stage the f and preferably one or more contiguous labels l2 in said stack are floated in separated relation to each other in the hopper II at the upper end thereof; in other words, the upper terminal label I2 and preferably one or more labels I2 contiguous thereto are definitely separated from each other by the aforesaid confined air cushions developed by the jets of air as illustrated in Fig. 2. The terminal label and adjacent labels I2 are prevented from being blown out of said hopper I2 by the retaining pins 26 and 21. It will be noted, when.the suction head 40 or equivalent pick-up device is in the pick-up position relatively to the stack of labels I2, that the active face of said suction head 40 or its equivalent is located in spaced relation to but within suction range of the upper terminal label I2. The latter accordingly is drawn from the hopper I I by the suction developed in the suction head 40 in properly timed relation to effect this result, into contact with the active face of said suction head 40 so that said terminal label I2 is deposited and held upon said active face of said suction head 40 in the conventional manner.

Because of this withdrawing of said terminal label I2 by the action of the suction head 40, and due to the heat insulation provided by the layers of air which separate said terminal label I2 from adjacent labels I2 and several of the latter from each other, the heat from the heated suction head 40 is prevented from penetrating into the stack. As a result of this arrangement, the thermoplastic coating 0. of the actual terminal label I2 which is being removed from the supply stack at the time and which is softened and rendered adhesive by the heated suction head 40 is prevented from adhering to the next adjacent label I2 in said stack; at the same time the thermoplastic coatings a of the next succeeding labels I2 in said stack are also protected against softening by the heat of said suction head 4|] and consequently no undesirable adhesion between adjacent labels I2 in said stack is developed as will be apparent.

When the terminal label I2 has been drawn from the supply stack and deposited and held upon the active surface of the suction head 40 or equivalent pick-up device, the' track 50 is raised to correspondingly elevate the suction head 40 or its equivalent with said label I2 thereon. With the track 50 remaining in its elevated position the rock-shaft 22 is actuated in a reverse direction to swing the arm 36 to the left in Fig. 1 and to thereby correspondingly move the carriage 32 in the same direction along the rail 33. As these operations take place, the roller 49 travels along the elevated track 50 and thereby maintains the suction head 40 with the label I2 thereon in a raised position without interfering with the movement of the carriage 32 along the rail 33, and the parts finally reach the position shown in Fig. 1 in which the suction head 40 is located at the label applying station. Throughout the travel of the carriage 32 and the suction head 40 from the pick-up station to the label applying station, the label I'2 carried by the suction head 40 at the time has been heated by the heat of the heating element 42 and the thermo-plastic coating a of said label I2 has been softened and rendered inherently adhesive.

When the label applying station has been reached, the track 50 is lowered and the member 48 moves downwardly on the carriage 32 to thereby cause the suction head 40 to deposit the label I2 carried thereby upon the article A which has previously been placed upon the support 30 in label receiving position. As the pad 46 of the suction head 40 is resilient, the active face thereof, for instance under the influence of the spring 5I, will conform itself to the surface contour of the article A with the result that the label I2 will be uniformly and efliciently applied to said article A to which it is adhesively attached by the thermo-plastic coating a. It will be noted that the label I2 is subjected to the heating infiuence of the heated suction head 40 or its equivalent until the application of said label I2.

to the article A has been completed. The thermoplastic coating (1 of said label I2 is thereby maintained in a softened condition of maximiun ad- .hesiveness until said label has been efiiciently applied to the given article A.

When the application of the particular label I2 to the particular article A has been completed, the suction in the suction head 40 is discontinued and the latter is lifted on the carriage 32 by the action of the track 50 on the roller 49 and member 48, The labeled article A is then removed from the support 30 or otherwise disposed of and the operations set forth above are repeated.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 3 the novel machine may be of the same general construction and operate in the same general manner as the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 and described hereinbefore.

In the machine of Fig. 3 the pick-up device is also exemplified by a suction head 4II similar to the suction head 40, but differing therefrom in that the suction head 4ll= is not provided with a heating device; this is not an arbitrarily necessary difierence as in some instances it may be desirable to provide the suction head 40 with means for imparting heat thereto corresponding for instance to the heating unit 42 of the suction head 40.

In addition to elements similar to those included in the form of machine first described, the machine under discussion is providedwith means for developing pressure upon the labels in the presence of heat subsequently to the initial deposit of said labels upon the articles for which they are intended.

The pressure developing means, in the form illustrated in Fig. 3, consists of a pressure member 53 carrying a pressure pad 54 of suitable type and preferably having an inherent resiliency sufiicient to enable said pressure pad 54 to conform to the surface contour of the article A when operating the pressure member 53 to apply a label I2 thereto. Suitable provision is made for heating the pressure pad 54 as by associating therewith, in any convenient manner, a heating device for instance of the type exemplified by the electrical heating unit 42 of Fig. 1 and likewise located in an electric circuit which includes the wires 55.

As shown in Fig. 3, the pressure member 53 is carried by a plunger 56 vertically slidable in a guideway 51 suitably supported in proper position upon the frame In of the machine. The plunger 56 is vertically reciprocated in the guideway 51 to correspondingly operate the pressure member 53 and its pressure pad 54 in properly timed relation with the other elements of the machine in any convenient manner, as by means of a lever 58 having its free end loosely connected with the upper end of said plunger 56 as indicated in Fig. 3. The lever 58 may be loosely mounted on the shaft 22 for independent pivotal movement thereon by suitable mechanism relatively thereto to pick up successive terminal labels H from the upper end of the supply stack at the pick-up station and to convey said labels to the label applying station. At the latter station the suction head 40* is operated downwardly at the proper time to initially deposit the label l2 carried at the time upon the article A which in the meantime has been placed in label receiving position on the support 30. When this initial deposit of said label l2 has been effected, the suction in the suction head 4|) is discontinued and the latter is raised on the carriage 32;

it will be understood that the thermo-plastic coating a of the particular label I2 is sufficiently adhesive to cause the initially deposited label to adhere to the article A as the suction head 40 moves upwardly on the carriage 32. The latter is then shifted to the right on the rail 33 to return the suction head 40"- to the pick-up station for operation thereat in proper timing to remove the next successive terminal label l2 from the supply stack.

As the suction head 40 with the carriage 32 is thus moved to the right, the lever 58 will be actuated to shift the plunger 56 downwardly in the guideway 51 and to thereby shift the pressure pad 54 of the pressure member 53 into contact with the previously deposited label l2 on the article A. The said label I2 is thereby subjected to'the action of the heated pad 54 and the I thermo-plastic coating a thereof is accordingly softened and rendered highly adhesive; at the same time the pressure member 53 will develop a pressure whereby the pressure pad 54 is caused to conform to the surface contour of the article A and the label I2 is evenly and adhesively applied thereto. The lever 58 is then actuated to raise the plunger 56 in the guideway 51 and to correspondingly lift the pressure pad 54 and pressure member 53 away from the labeled article which is removed from the support 30 or otherwise disposed of. The described cycle of operations is then repeated and continued throughout a given operative period of the machine.

In the form of the machine first described, successive terminal labels l2 are removed from the supply stack by a pick-up device which transfers said labels to the applying station and heats said labels during such transfer to render the thermo-plastic coatings a highly adhesive, and then applies said labels l2 to the articles A at the label applying station; the heating of the labels l2 continues throughout the application thereof to the articles A so that eflicient adherence is developed between said article A and the given label l2.

In the machine of Fig. 3 successive terminal labels l2 are likewise removed from the supply stack by a pick-up device and transferred thereby to the label applying station. At the latter the pick-up device is operated to initially deposit successive labels [2 upon successive articles A, said initially deposited labels [2 being subsequently firmly pressed into adhesive connection with said articles A by the heated pressure pad of a pressure member.

In both instances, the labels is effected in the presence of heat by means of a pad sufllciently resilient to conform to the surface contour of the articles A, and to thereby evenly and adhesively apply the labels l2 thereto. The pad in each instance is operatively controlled by mechanism which develops a label applying movementat the label applying station; in the selected examples of the novel machine each pad is carried by a member which is reciprocated at the label applying station to develop sai label applying movement.

The form of the novel machine illustrated in ,Fig. 1 is of the utmost simplicity in that the removal of successive terminal labels from the supply stack, the transfer thereof to the label applying station, and the adhesive application of said labels to successive articles thereat, is controlled by the same member and the mechanism of which it is a part. 1

In all of its forms the novelmachine is particularly adapted for handling labels or their equivalent provided with thermo-plastic coatings which become adhesive in the presence of heat; it will be understood however that the machines may be utilized in connection with any type of adhesively coated labels ortheir equivalent, which by the use of heated appliances may be applied to associated articles with greater efficiency than is otherwise possible.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support located at an applying station for supporting articles thereat in label receiving position, a hopper located at a pick-up station spaced from said applying station for confining a stack of labels having thermo-plastic coatings, a carriage reciprocable between said stations, a suction head movably mounted on said carriage and provided with a resilient heated pad on its active face, said suction head being movable relatively to said carriage at the pick-up station for removing successive terminal labels from said hopper and at said applying station for applying said labels to successive articles thereat, said heated resilient pad heating the thermoplastic coatings in transit between said stations and during application thereof'to said-articles and conforming itself to the surface contour of the latter, and an air nozzle communicating with and supplying air to the interior of said hopper, the latter confining the introduced air in the form of insulating air cushions whereby penetration of heat from the heated resilient pad into said hopper is prevented.

2. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support located at an applying station for supporting articles thereat in label receiving position, a hopper located at a pick-up station spaced from said applying station for confining a stack of labels having thermo-plastic coatings, a carriage reciprocable between said stations, a suction head movably mounted onsaid carriage and provided with a resilient heated pad on its active face, said suction head being movable relatively to said carriage at the pick-up station for removing successive terminal labels from said hopper and at said applying station for applying said labels to successive articles thereat,

the adhesive application of said heated resilient pad heating the thermoplastic coatings in transit between said stations and during application thereof to said articles and conforming itself to the surface contour of the latter, and means for developing insulating air cushions therein whereby penetration of heat from said heated resilient pad into said hopper is prevented.

3. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support located at an applying station for supporting articles thereat in label receiving position, means located at a pick-up station spaced from said applying station for confining a stack of labels thereat, a heated pick-up device for removing successive terminal labels from said stack at said pick-up station and applying the same to successive articles at said applying station, said heated pick-up device subjecting the labels carried thereby to heat during the application thereof to said articles, and means cooperating with said label stack confining means for developing insulating air cushions therein whereby penetration of heatfrom said heated pick-up device into said label confining means is prevented.

4. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support for articles to be labeled, a hopper for confining a supply stack of adhesively coated labels, heated means for removing successive terminal labels from the stack in said hopper and applying the same to successive articles on said support, and means for introducing a plurality of air jets into said hopper, the latter confining the introduced air in the form of insulating air cushions whereby penetration of heat from said heated means into said hopper is prevented.

5. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support for articles to be labeled, a hopper for confining a supply stack of adhesively coated labels, heated means for removing successive terminal labels from the stack in said hopper and applying the same to successive articles on said support, and means co-operating with said hopper to develop confined insulating air cushions interiorly of said hopper whereby penetra tion of heat from said heated means into said hopper is prevented.

6. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support for articles to be labeled, means for confining a supply stack of labels provided with thermo-plastic coatings, means for removing successive terminal labels from the stack in said confining means and depositing said labels upon successive articles on said support, a pressure member for developing label applying pressure, and a heated resilient pad carried by said pressure member for pressing a previously deposited label into engagement with an article and for coincidentally heating said label to adhesively attach the same to said article, said pad conforming itself to the surface contour of said article.

'7. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support for articles to be labeled, applying means for conveying adhesive coated labels into applying relation to the articles on said support, means for operating said applying means while in said applying relation in operative relation to said support whereby the adhesive coated labels carried-by said applying means are applied to the articles on said support, and heating means combined with said applying means for heating the adhesive coatings of said labels through the latter coincidentally with the application of said labels to said articles.

8. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support for articles to be labeled, applying means for developing a label applying movement in operative relation to said support whereby adhesively coated labels are applied to articles thereon, and a heated resilient pad combined with said applying means adapted to conform to the surface contour of said'articles and to heat said labels coincidentally with the application thereof to said articles.

9. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support for articles to be labeled, a reciprocable member for conveying adhesive coated labels over the operative path of said reciprocable member into applying relation to the articles on said support, means for actuating said member while in said applying relation in operative relation to said support to apply the adhesive coated labels carried by said reciprocable member to articles on said support, and means associated with said member for heating the adhesive coatings of said labels through the labels coincidentally with the application thereof.

10. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a support for articles to be labeled, a reciprocable member, means for actuating said member in operative relation to said support to apply adhesively coated labels to articles on said support, and a resilient heated pad carried by said member adapted to conform to the surface contour of said articles and to heat said labels coincidentally with the application thereof to said articles.

11. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a hopper for confining a supply stack of labels and enclosing said stack at least at the upper end thereof, and a suction head movable into substantially conterminous registry with the exit end of said hopper in spaced relation to and within suction range of the top of said stack whereby successive terminal labels are bodily lifted from said hopper into surface contact with said suction head and held thereon.

12. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a hopper for confining a supply stack of adhesively coated labels and enclosing said stack at least at the upper end thereof to provide a walled space interiorly of said hopper, means co-operating with said hopper for developing confined air cushions in the walled space of said hopper between successive terminal and adjacent labels therein on which said terminal and adjacent labels are floated in separated relation to each other, means for preventing the air separated labels from being unintentionally forced out of said hopper by the action of the air therein, and a suction head movable into registry with said hopper in spaced relation to and within suction range of the top of said stack whereby successive floated terminal labels are intentionally withdrawn from said hopper into surface contact with said suction head and held thereon.

13. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a hopper for confining a supply stack of adhesively coated labels and enclosing said stack at least at the upper end thereof to provide a walled space interiorly of said hopper, said labels being adapted to be successively removed from the top of said stack for application to successive articles, and means co-operating with said hopper for developing confined air cushions in the walled space of said hopper between successive terminal and adjacent labels therein on which said terminal and adjacent labels are floated in separated relation to each other to preventsaid labels from adhering to each other during the removal of successive labels from said stack.

'14. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a hopper for confining a supply stack of adhesively coated labels and enclosing said stack at least at the upper end thereof to provide a walled space interiorly of said hopper, said labels being adapted to be successively removed from the top of said stack for application to successive articles, means co-operating with said hopper for developing confined air cushions in the walled space of said hopper between successive terminal and adjacentlabels therein on which said terminal and, adjacent labels are floated in separated relation to each other to prevent said labels from adhering to each other during the removal of successive labels from said stack, and means for preventingrthe air separated labels from being unintentionally forced V teriorly of said hopper, said hopper being formed near its upper end with a plurality of inwardly directed air vents communicating with said walled interior space, and means for forcing air through said vents into said hopper, the latter confining the introduced air in the form of air cushions in the walled space of said hopper between successive terminal and adjacent labels therein on which said terminal and adjacent labels are floated in separated relation to each other to prevent said labels from adhering to each other during removal of successive labels from said stack. Y

16. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a hopper for' confining a supply stack of labels provided with thermo-plastic coatings and enclosing said stack at least at the upper end thereof to provide a walled space interlorly of said hopper, said hopper being formed near its upper end with a plurality of inwardly directed air vents communicating with said walled interior space, means for forcing air through said vents into said hopper, the latter confining the introduced air in the form of air cushions in the walled space of said hopper betweensuccessive terminal and adjacent labels therein on which said terminal and adjacent labels are floated in separated relation to each other to prevent said labels from adhering to each other during removal of successive labels from said stack, and means for preventing the air separated labels from being unintentionally forced out of said hopper.

17. In a machine of the kinddescribed, the combination of a hopper for confining a supply stack of labels, provided with thermo-plastic coatings and enclosing said stack at least at the upper end thereof to provide a walled space interlorly of said hopper, said hopper being formed near its upper end with a plurality of inwardly directed air vents communicating with said walled interior space, and an air nozzle car ried by said hopperin communication with said air vents and connected with a source of air under pressure whereby air is forced through said air vents into said hopper and across the same, said hopper confining the introduced air in the form of air separation cushions in the walled space of said hopper between successive terminal and adjacent labels therein on which said termi nal and adjacent labels are floated in separated relation to each other to prevent said labels from adhering to eachother during the removal of V successive labels from said stack.

pad of porous heat conducting material carried by said head for heating the therm'o-plastic coatings through the labels provided i with said coatings.

20. In a labeling machine for applying thermoplastic coated labels, a suction head for carrying and applying said labels, a heated resilient pad of metallic wool carried by said head for heating the thermo-plastic coatings through the labels provided with said coatings, and a plurality of flexible tubes embedded in said pad with their outer ends at the active surface thereof and their inner ends in communication with the interior of said head. 7

21, In a labeling machine for applying thermoplastic coated labels, a suction head for carrying and applying said labels, and a heated resilient pad of heat resistant rubber carried by said head for heating the thermo-plastic coatings through the labels provided with said coatings.

22. In a labeling machine for applying thermoplastic coated labels, means for depositing said labels on articles to be labeled, and a pressure member having a resilient heated pressure pad for developing pressure on said labels to complete the application thereof to said articles.

GEORGE W. von HOFE. 

